The Arranged Marriage
Right. The port city. The closest one - which isn't saying much - is still a week away, so after going as far as my legs will carry me, I give up for the night and sink down. Relief fills me as my legs bend and I finally allow my body to relax. I curl up a little off the road, in case anyone comes by, and cover myself with leaves. I thought I might be too scared to sleep, but I'm able to.
I still have time to feel like an idiot for missing Mother and Pa and Tom before I drift away.
In the morning, I pull on Tom's clothes. I look like an idiot, now, as well as feeling like one. And I'm starving.
In fact, I'm so mad with hunger that when a cart comes up from behind me the second day, I stand out in front of it. "Hey!" I shout, waving my arms. The driver pulls his horse to a stop.
"And what are you doing there, lad?" the man asks, leaning forward. He looks about my father's age, with a face full of bushy gray hair and twinkling eyes hidden under large brows.
"I need food," I say bluntly.
"Do you now?" he says. i hate the note of amusement in his voice, for I find nothing funny about this. "Looks like you need more than that to me. Why don't I give you a lift out of here? For otherwise you'll just collapse in hunger as soon as I'm gone."
I'm tempted - but he's a stranger, and I don't really like the idea of being alone with him in the middle of the woods. Still, a ride in his cart would cut down the time it took to get out of the woods.
I still have time to feel like an idiot for missing Mother and Pa and Tom before I drift away.
In the morning, I pull on Tom's clothes. I look like an idiot, now, as well as feeling like one. And I'm starving.
In fact, I'm so mad with hunger that when a cart comes up from behind me the second day, I stand out in front of it. "Hey!" I shout, waving my arms. The driver pulls his horse to a stop.
"And what are you doing there, lad?" the man asks, leaning forward. He looks about my father's age, with a face full of bushy gray hair and twinkling eyes hidden under large brows.
"I need food," I say bluntly.
"Do you now?" he says. i hate the note of amusement in his voice, for I find nothing funny about this. "Looks like you need more than that to me. Why don't I give you a lift out of here? For otherwise you'll just collapse in hunger as soon as I'm gone."
I'm tempted - but he's a stranger, and I don't really like the idea of being alone with him in the middle of the woods. Still, a ride in his cart would cut down the time it took to get out of the woods.