Chapter 1 Duty to Minsi

"Okay everyone, make haste towards the square. Sir Edric shall speak momentarily," the voice of the captain rang out above the casual talking of the crowd. Calida, itching for news could not keep still, her hands fidgeting at her sides.

"Calida honey, calm down. You're making me anxious. You're not even eligible to serve in the patrol," Her mother spoke smoothly, trying her best to tame her daughter's unruly brown hair. Galena, Calida's mother, was right. Only men of a certain age were able to serve in the patrols. Calida however was not nervous for herself, but for her older brother, Cato.

Cato had a reputation in the village of being a dreamer. You could consistently find him wandering around the village square enthralled in writing in his books, or doodling the people in the village as they passed him. He was always the one with his head in the clouds, while Calida preferred to keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. As siblings, the only thing they had in common were their looks. Both had difficult to manage light brown hair that perfectly echoed their father's hair and dark blue eyes that were a copy of their mother's.

Calida snuck a glance at Cato who was in between their mother and their father, Aldus. His eyes were fixed on the stage ahead where Sir Edric, the leader of the village of Minsi, would soon make an appearance. His lips were pressed together as if deep in thought. His hands were in tight fists, his knuckles white.

"I'm more worried about Cato. He's just passed the age to qualify for the patrol. What if he's chosen? He can barely harm a bug that flies into our home. How could he possibly swing a sword? Hell, I'm more qualified than he is considering how much time I spend with father at the smithy." Calida said in a forced whisper. Another difference between the siblings was their demeanor. Cato was the calm, quiet one, while Calida was the restless fiery one. Given a situation of danger, Cato would stick to his wit, while Calida would swing first, ask questions later.

"You know that you can't serve in the patrol. It's for men only. And you act as though I am not on edge because of Cato's new age of 20. We have to keep a level head in these types of situations, there's no need for hysterics. And should your brother be chosen, we will figure it out as a family. United and together." Galena, always the peacemaker, patted her daughter's arm then grabbed both of her children's hands firmly.

They were a strong unit, together as a family. In the village of Minsi, they were known for supporting one another, especially Aldus and Galena. They supported both of their children's aspirations to the best of their ability, whether Cato wanted to write stories and draw people in the village square, or whether Calida wanted to learn how to hold her own with a sword in hand. This family dynamic was not something many in the village were used to seeing. Many of the families were ripped apart by Sir Edric since he came to power after the untimely death of his father Tavarious. He quickly made many changes to the village, some better, some worse.

The majority of what Sir Edric did was move certain family members to certain areas, forcing others to do back breaking labor, and creating many wedges to keep families divided. He sent most men that were strong bodied to the patrol, or to the mines. It seemed as though the more miserable his people, the better he began to thrive. The sudden power seemed to cloud his judgement, causing many villagers to wish to leave Minsi, and his influence. Unfortunately, no one can leave Minsi.

The village is surrounded by walls that are as tall as the trees outside. The walls are meant to keep us safe, but many views them like bars on a cell. The walls had been up for around 50 years, and they were built to keep out the monsters that freely roam the forest, specifically the wolves.

Wolves had not been seen since Sir Edric's twin brother Ulric was killed as a child, but every man who serves in the patrols hears the howling. Many say that the sound keeps them up at night and haunts their dreams. Others say that they've seen shadows in the night. The insanity that takes over the men who serve on the patrol is the main reason why every man in the village must serve. It is their duty as villagers of Minsi, as it is the duty of the woman to breed more men to rotate.

Sir Edric came from his home, located just north of the stage in the village square, and began the short walk to the steps. He was once a fit man who could command the entire village with just a look, but as time went on, he grew more frail, only leaving his home to announce names for the patrol every few months. While his body began showing his age, his cold black eyes could still hold the attention of any villager. Those eyes could make any mans' blood run cold

All side conversations came to a halt, no one so much as daring to breathe loudly. It was obvious that the majority of the village greatly disliked Sir Edric, but no one wanted to disrespect him by speaking out of place. The villagers lived in fear of the stories passed down from elders regarding the savagery of Sir Edric in his youth. Most just keep their mouths shut to avoid his gaze.

Sir Edric reached the steps of the stage, motioning for his captain to help him up. Sir Edric was about to turn 60 on his next name day, but he moved as if every step were painful. He reached the center of the stage and dismissed the captain, who bowed and took his place at the foot of the stairs.

Every 3 months, names were chosen to rotate, and every 3 months, the village seemed to be on edge. Their lives and sanity hinging on the man who needed help to climb 5 steps. Between 3-5 names were called, all depending upon how many men had gone insane. The ones who were moved from the patrol would be moved to the mines, and vice versa. This month, 4 names were to be called.

"Thank you all for gathering. As you all know, it is time for the next patrol rotation to protect our village. If your name is called, please come forward to retrieve your assignments and replacement papers," Sir Edric spoke loudly, his voice becoming hoarse towards the end. He unrolled a piece of parchment and held his head high to project to the village.

Calida listened intently, trying to calm down the rapid beating of her heart. They won't choose Cato, they can't. He'll be safe this time, he only just turned 20 a few days ago.

"Edmund Baker," Sir Edric paused, surveying the crowd. A scrawny looking kid came forward, his face red with embarrassment, turning almost the color of his hair. His eyes grew wide with fear. He stepped up and retrieved his assignments papers from the captain, who saluted him. Calida looked toward where he came from and saw his mother and father, the bread bakers of the village, who were crying silently. Next to them were her 2 friends, Nellwyn and Evander. Nell and Edmund were distant cousins, and Evander was always attached to Nell's hip. The 3 had been friends since before Calida could remember. They caught her gaze and gave sad smiles. Galena squeezed Calida's hand to bring her attention back to Sir Edric.

Two more names were called, Simon Tanner and Reynold Weaver. Calida's breath caught in her throat. One name left.

Sir Edric brushed his gray hair from his forehead, squinting at the parchment. "Cato Smith." He said as last.

"No," Calida silently whispered as Galena doubled over on the ground. Aldus gave Cato a solemn look as he turned to his wife. Before walking forward, Cato turned to look at his younger sister. His eyebrows were close together in sadness, but he tried his best to smile. Cato, who had an older brother complex, always did what he could to keep his sister from seeing him suffer, but even his crooked goofy grin couldn't help the situation.

Cato began making his way through the crowd, head high. Calida watched, tears forming in her eyes. Nellwyn and Evander pushed their way through the people that had surrounded the smiths, and they each put a hand on Calida's shoulder.

No, she thought, wiping away the tears on her face with her sleeve. There's a way out of this, and I'll find it. She bent down to hug her mother who was still crying softly. In Galena's ear she whispered "We'll figure this out as a family. United and together."