3.
Preparing for the Journey
After Nami had snuck breakfast for Goneck into the barn she ran into her room. Helena was sitting on her bed anxiously waiting for her. When she appeared at the door her maid’s lines of worry vanished and she ran towards her gripping her shoulders and pulling her into a tight hug which surprised Nami.
“Nami! Where have you been? I have been so worried! Your father is extremely angry, he thought you had gone to that boy again. Did you? Please say you didn’t!” She cried out.
“Don’t worry!” Nami soothed to calm down the hysterical maid. “I didn’t I was playing in the barn and then I went out to the forest and took a nap. Is father at home?”
“Yes, yes!” She said as she regained her posture and smoothed her smock. “I convinced him to wait before he sends anybody out. He’s waiting for you to return in his study. You should go and meet him.”
“I’ll go right now.” Nami said.
“Ok, I’ll have breakfast ready for you when you get back.” Nami nodded and left the room. As she stomped down the stairs to her father’s study she felt raged that her father was so predictable. He seemed to always think the worst of her and the things that she did. If he cared so much than he should spend more time with her rather than being either holed up in his study or meeting with other rich men. When she reached the door to the study she changed her face expression with much practiced skill and knocked on the door.
“Come in!” A gruff voice called. She turned the handle to the door and walked in. Her father was sitting on a comfortable wooden chair while reading a rich leatherback book. “Nami!” He called with surprise when he saw her walk in but his expression quickly changed to anger. He stood up and walked towards her. “Girl! Where have you been?! I have been searching for you all morning. Not even Helena knew where you had gone. Only a crummy frustratingly unspecific note was all that you left us to tell us where you had gone.” Nami stood quietly as she took her father’s verbal thrashing. “Why have you got to be so difficult? Why can’t you be like Dr. Shady’s daughter or even Mr. McGowan’s daughter? They all act appropriate, listen to their father, and they all end up arranged to marry rich young gentlemen. But you! You go running around in the house, being unpunctual for dinner, dressing like a man, and meeting common men out on your daily rides!”
Nami’s stayed silent but her shoulder’s shook from anger and at the same time trying to control herself from blurting out. Her fists were clenched tightly and she refused to look up at her father so instead she kept her eyes locked on a knot in the wood which made up the floor. “Are you not pleased with the men I introduce you to? They are fine men are they not? They come from rich families and are educated. Are they not handsome enough for you? Or interesting enough? So instead you choose to meet a man from the village. A dirty poor boy who can’t give you anything! Can’t put a roof over your head, can’t feed you, and can’t even give you the proper service. You are sixteen! Sixteen is the age in which you should already have found a man to marry. All your friends have! Why have you got to be so damn stubborn!”
Finally Nami couldn’t take it anymore. She shot her head up and stared at her father with an icy cold stare before shouting.
“So maybe I am different! Maybe I don’t want to be like the other girls! Maybe I don’t want to get married yet! Maybe I’m not ready or haven’t found the right man! Have you ever thought about that? About how I might like dressing like a boy? And how I perhaps don’t like your guest dinners with your important business men? And how I just might like meeting people who are outside your circle of proper gentlemen? Have you ever thought about what I want? What you think is not always the best for me! You think so but--.” He slapped her hard across the face, cutting her sentence off.
“Don’t you dare speak like that to me! I am your father and you will treat me with the respect that you owe me!” Nami’s face was burning where he had hit her. Tears of either pain or emotional hurt blurred her eyes but she dared not show her father. Without warning she turned back and ran out the door. She heard her father yelling after her but she ignored him and ran all the way out the front door. She could tell that the maids had heard for they had all stopped what they were doing and were staring at the door but had quickly gotten back to work when she had come running out.
She ran to the barn and chose the stall in which her stallion was in to finally rest herself. She went to the back of the stall and sat down with exhaustion. Her shoulders shook from trying to stop her sobs from coming out. Her father gave her more than just a reason to leave which she was planning to do that day. Her horse looked at her curiously before coming towards her. He nuzzled her face with his nose, blowing hot air on her. She looked over at him and reached up to touch his face. He came closer and slowly lowered himself to the ground. She smiled for she knew that he was doing this for her. She lied down against him and closed her eyes. She only allowed one tear to fall from the corner of her eye.
The voice of a groom caused her to open her eyes. She looked above the stall door and saw Jeff, the old groom from last night looking at her.
“Ma’am. I’m sorry to disturb you but I hear your father calling for you.” Nami slowly stood up. The stallion watched her before heaving his large body onto his legs.
“Um. Jeff, it would be nice if you didn’t tell him I was here.”
“Sure, but Gewald there,” he said indicating to the horse. “Needs to be put out for Mr. McGowan has brought one of his mares here to be bred to this stud.” Just then another groom had brought in a pure white mare. She was beautiful with flowing white hair and her nose had a small snip of pink on it. Her neck was curved in the most attractive way and she held her tail up high. A feeling of selfishness came over Nami for just then she felt that she didn’t want her horse, one of her best friends, to be bred to a mare that came from one of her father’s friends. It wasn’t so much the fact that her horse was to be bred to a different person’s horse, so much as the fact that the person was a friend of her father’s. But she knew it was childish and she pushed it away.
At the sight of the mare Gewald went into frenzy and forgot all about Nami. He jittered in his stall and called out loudly to the mare and when he caught her attention he bobbed his head up and down and stomped his feet to impress her. Nami knew that it was dangerous to be around a stallion when he sensed a mare in heat and therefore exited the stall and ran out after looking back at the two horses as she watched Jeff clip a halter on Gewald and lead him out to meet the mare who had seemed to accept him gladly.
She finally turned away and went towards Goneck where he was in hiding. She found him chewing on a clean bone. When he saw her he put his bone down and went towards her.
“Are you ready yet?” Nami shook her head.
“Not yet. I got into an argument with my dad… and…” She looked reluctant to tell him and he understood.
“It’s okay. You can take your time but we must leave today.”
“Don’t worry. We will. I can’t stay here any longer.” She leaned against a tree. “Not with him around.” She kicked a pile of dirt in anger before dropping to the ground. “Well,” She changed the subject. “What do I need to bring exactly again?”
Goneck was chewing on his bone again but put it down to answer her. “Clothes and probably some of that stuff that you guys call ‘money’. You might need to buy supplies on our way.”
“Where are we going exactly?”
“To Rovenhold. The rest will be explained later.” He sneaked into the shadow of a tree. Nami wondered what had caused him to hide so she looked around and saw the reason. She saw her father coming towards her. He was incredibly mad and was gaining ground fast. Nami gulped and stood up. She held her ground as he came closer. In a matter of seconds he had reached her. His ears were red with anger. Breathing hard and sweat beading his forehead he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the direction of the house without a word.
to be continued....
