The Arranged Marriage
I've never walked this path before, and I'm exhaused, and scared. I finally drop down and sleep like the dead, not even my worries of discovery able to keep awake.
In the morning I dress in my brother's clothes, though I have the suspicion I look like a drowned kitten. I begin to walk, stuffing my face with my mother's bread, tears running down my face and soaking it as I chew it automatically, feeling like a fool.
Luckily, the path meananders out of the woods by midday. It's running through fields now, which make me feel better, despite the fact that I would have no where to hide if anyone came after me.
I like feeling the sun on my skin.
Eventually, I come to a village, almost identical to my own. I'm too uncomfortable in my disguise to actually enter the tavern, so I lurk outside it, eavesdropping on the men inside. One is a stranger, stopping by on his way to the capital. As he leaves the tavern, I leap up and intercept him.
"'Scuse me, sir," I say, tipping my hat at him. "I couldn't help hearing that your servant boy ran away. I thought I could help - I'm traveling the capital too, y'see." I tipped my large hat at him.
The man looked down a very long nose at me. His clothes were foppish and rich, filled with bright colors. "What's your name, boy?"
"Ani," I replied, glad my own name was gender neautral.
"And how do I know you're not a thief, who might run off like the last boy?"
I thought a boy might puff out his chest, but I didn't want to risk it. "I'm not. And I have no reason to steal anything. I'm - a Sheric." I winced a little, at the lie, but it seemed safest. Sherics did not believe in many material possessions, and were reputed to never commit a sin or lie.
It took some convincing that I was a Sheric, but a caravan of them had passed through my village last year, so I was aquainted with their mannerisms. Soon enough, I found myself the new servant boy of Merchant Swathly, on his moth long journey to the capital.
In the morning I dress in my brother's clothes, though I have the suspicion I look like a drowned kitten. I begin to walk, stuffing my face with my mother's bread, tears running down my face and soaking it as I chew it automatically, feeling like a fool.
Luckily, the path meananders out of the woods by midday. It's running through fields now, which make me feel better, despite the fact that I would have no where to hide if anyone came after me.
I like feeling the sun on my skin.
Eventually, I come to a village, almost identical to my own. I'm too uncomfortable in my disguise to actually enter the tavern, so I lurk outside it, eavesdropping on the men inside. One is a stranger, stopping by on his way to the capital. As he leaves the tavern, I leap up and intercept him.
"'Scuse me, sir," I say, tipping my hat at him. "I couldn't help hearing that your servant boy ran away. I thought I could help - I'm traveling the capital too, y'see." I tipped my large hat at him.
The man looked down a very long nose at me. His clothes were foppish and rich, filled with bright colors. "What's your name, boy?"
"Ani," I replied, glad my own name was gender neautral.
"And how do I know you're not a thief, who might run off like the last boy?"
I thought a boy might puff out his chest, but I didn't want to risk it. "I'm not. And I have no reason to steal anything. I'm - a Sheric." I winced a little, at the lie, but it seemed safest. Sherics did not believe in many material possessions, and were reputed to never commit a sin or lie.
It took some convincing that I was a Sheric, but a caravan of them had passed through my village last year, so I was aquainted with their mannerisms. Soon enough, I found myself the new servant boy of Merchant Swathly, on his moth long journey to the capital.