The Arranged Marriage
Mother hadn't believed me at first.
No one had. Father laughed, like I was telling a joke, and Tom gaped, as though I was losing my mind. I wasn't so sure they were wrong. I was more like to be a crazy jester than a priestess.
But they didn't stop me. I had, as Mother pointed out, invoked the Goddess, so to the Goddess I would be sent.
They sent me off the very next day, Mother tight lipped, Father still amused. My best friend, Isoki, was the only non-family who saw me off, and she cried as we parted.
"But this is better," she promised, her dark curls gleaming in the rising sun. "You would have been so unhappy with that man. And I'll visit. I promise. As soon as possible."
"Yes," I say as dryly as possible when my eyes are also tearfilled, "And I'll come back for your own wedding, as long as you promise to have a happy one."
She sighed and I see her eyes dart towards my brother. "Fat chance of that," she mutters, and I've barely time to raise a questioning brow before she's giving me a tight hug and moving back for Tom to say goodbye.
"I'll visit you, too," he says as he hugs me, lifting me off the ground. "Sooner than you think. I didn't mention - but I'm joining the king's army. So I'll be traveling, after my training's done."
"So will I, though you'll be killing and I'll be preaching," I say in a bad attempt at humor, and our laughter is sad as we part.
"Well," Father says, as soon as we're on the road. "What will it be, daughter?" His voice is kind, for all that I've dragged him from his books for a day of travel. "Straight to the priestesses, or would you mind stopping in Kylo first?"
I look at him sharply as he names a small town known mostly for those who practice the old magic. "While I'm heading to be a preistess, Father?" I question.
He looks embarrassed. "There's a book I want," he says sheepishly. "Do you mind?"
No one had. Father laughed, like I was telling a joke, and Tom gaped, as though I was losing my mind. I wasn't so sure they were wrong. I was more like to be a crazy jester than a priestess.
But they didn't stop me. I had, as Mother pointed out, invoked the Goddess, so to the Goddess I would be sent.
They sent me off the very next day, Mother tight lipped, Father still amused. My best friend, Isoki, was the only non-family who saw me off, and she cried as we parted.
"But this is better," she promised, her dark curls gleaming in the rising sun. "You would have been so unhappy with that man. And I'll visit. I promise. As soon as possible."
"Yes," I say as dryly as possible when my eyes are also tearfilled, "And I'll come back for your own wedding, as long as you promise to have a happy one."
She sighed and I see her eyes dart towards my brother. "Fat chance of that," she mutters, and I've barely time to raise a questioning brow before she's giving me a tight hug and moving back for Tom to say goodbye.
"I'll visit you, too," he says as he hugs me, lifting me off the ground. "Sooner than you think. I didn't mention - but I'm joining the king's army. So I'll be traveling, after my training's done."
"So will I, though you'll be killing and I'll be preaching," I say in a bad attempt at humor, and our laughter is sad as we part.
"Well," Father says, as soon as we're on the road. "What will it be, daughter?" His voice is kind, for all that I've dragged him from his books for a day of travel. "Straight to the priestesses, or would you mind stopping in Kylo first?"
I look at him sharply as he names a small town known mostly for those who practice the old magic. "While I'm heading to be a preistess, Father?" I question.
He looks embarrassed. "There's a book I want," he says sheepishly. "Do you mind?"