 |
| Uth Iseere's House in the outskirts of Palanthas. |
Today has been a normal day for her. Checking the harvest, picking the herbs and shooing the rabbits. Shes a young girl, not As she returns to the farm house after a long day on the field, her mother awaits by the door.
"Amelia! darling!" Says her mother hastily. "I have good news!"
The young woman picks up her lazy pace and gives a small trot up the hill towards her house and says: "What is it mother?"
"Your uncle Jona is coming to visit! Let us make a wonderful meal for him! I'm sure you will love showing him your cooking skills!" Her mother winks at her and then turns around and heads inside the house.
"But mother... what cooking skills?"
"Now now Amelia, theres much to do and little time, don't fuss..." her mother says misleading the young girl.
Amelia is not the kind of girly girl. Her mother worked dying fabrics for a wealthy family in Palanthas. And so, she spent most of Amelia's childhood away from home. On the other hand, her father worked the farm
and Amelia helped him all day. She was a bit of a tomboy. She was never seen with pretty clothes and she dressed usually in old farmer's clothes. Anything that could be related to household skills was pretty much unknown to her. She couldn't sew a button to save her life, but how great did she knew how to ride a horse. She was also known among the village's folks as the fighsty one. Always caring for the little ones that were bullied by the rich kids from the city.
Amelia set out to help her mother, almost burning the chicken and pouring the gravy on the floor. Oh Dear! what a commotion her mother did over it. Eventually they managed to finish a decent meal and right at that moment, they could hear horses coming from the dirt road.
"They are here Amelia! Hurry up and Greet them!" Amelia's mother exclaimed.
Steping out of the door, she saw 3 horses and riders aproaching the house. One horse, brown and with black legs, seemed all too familiar: Her father's horse. The other two, she had never seen before, unlike the riders. Uncle Jona was a good man, a working man, but his son had grown to become a punk, nothing more than a bully. Amelia disliked him above anyone else.
"Amelia! Daugther! take the horses to the stable and feed them. Then join us afterwards for the meal." said her father as he dismounted his old brown horse.
"Yes girl, feed them well..." said the punk with an irritating tone.
"Only the best fruit for mine and my fathers..." he continued until he was interrupted by his own father.
"Don't mind her lass. Hes nothing more than a prick." said Jona firmly. Eyeing his son with dislike.
Amelia just noded and left toward the stables, reigns at hand. Once inside, she took her time feeding them and letting them rest from the journey. She rather spend the time out here than listening to her cousing babbling on the most utterly mundane things.
When she was finished, she had no choice but to go inside. Darkness had fallen and no other work could be achieved this night. She returned to the house and entered throught the back door. As she aproached the dining room, she could hear what seemed to be the end of the conversation...
"Well, it is settled then! I'll have her packed and ready to go by the morning." Said Amelia's father decisively.
Amelia entered the room and the eyes of everyone at the table turned to her. "What? Where am I going? Whats going on?" Her face looked both interested and scared. For long now, her mother had been trying to find her a job in Palanthas. Something that seemed to Amelia as her mother wanting to be rid of her. She was 18 at the time, a common age for youngsters to leave forward towards new adventures.
"Go on and pack already! Is it not obvious where you will go to?" said her mother demandingly.
Amelia just noded and went straight to her room. Why should she bother asking anyways? her mother had a way of always avoiding answering her, and her father... well let's just say her mother wears the pants in
the family.
-----
Thankfully, the next morning her cousin had left earlier to Palanthas for "business to attend to" though everyone knew very well he hanged out at the north-eastern gate with a bunch of other punks.
She got ready for the ride and once everything was set, her mother gave one of her gracious comments:
"Don't forget to return the horse girl! we need it for work, so make sure someone takes him back!" said her mother. Her words almost vanishing into nothingness in Amelia's mind as she replied "Sure mother, Ill have it back in no time..."
Frustration over her mother's attitude soon weighted heavily over Amelia, but Jona had some encouraging words for her as they rode away from the house. "Worry not dear. Where you are going, you wont have
to worry about things like that anymore."
It was something nice to hear from sure. But now, again, her curiosity about where she was going became apparent in her face.
"Now now, dont worry." said Jona as he noticed the concern on his niece's face. "I have gotten you the perfect job for you. Something that i know you will enjoy. You will be with people that think and do
same as you do... mind you, not caring for the animals."
Amelia's face was still painted with confusion at the vagueness of her uncle.
"A good old friend of mine has gotten an audition for you with the Knights" Jona said, pausing for a bit as he examined his niece's reaction. "You have the opportunity to become a squire for the realm." he finished with a broad smile.
Amelia's eyes just popped out! Her face was full of exitement and unbelievability. Could this be true? Could she really be heading to meet with Knights? ... Could She become one of them?
The 20 minute trip seemed to last hours as they approached Palanthas. With renewed dreams, she followed her uncle into the west Garnet Way, and beyond.
