The Cardinals Path to the Supreme

The sun peaked in the sky, its golden rays falling upon the wilting fields of recently harvested crops as the men of Old Meadow dutifully did their daily toil of working the fields.

Through the large swaths of farmland, a wagon pulled by a black and white mare trudged upon the cut-out road, on the wagon sat a dozen large wooden barrels that moved ever so slightly with each bump on the dry road.

And holding the reigns was a bright-eyed youth, with one hand on the reigns and the other resting on a quarterstaff that lay strewn across his lap.

All of a sudden he pulled on the reigns, "Easy girl," he called out as he pressed his hand against the rear end of the mare and looked at the intruder who pushed their way into their path.

He climbed up leaving the quarterstaff behind and jumped to the road, "Looks like I got a grizzly bear to take down a peg," he said meeting the eyes of the man with a thicket of hair protruding from his chest and a layer of sweat giving the hair a glistening look.

The man raised his eyes a little as the youth charged him and threw a fist straight at his face.

"Oy!" the man shouted as he caught the fist, but not without putting his entire back into catching it, a show of visible effort appeared on his face as he brought the youth's fist to a stop.

The youth and the man stared each other down with seriousness in their eyes, holding onto a tight battle of the eye, but as the seconds passed their mouths began to twitch.

And before long they both threw their heads back and robust laughs sounded within the fields.

"Lad your punch is still a little short of being a man," the man chuckled as he grabbed the youth and gave him a crushing hug.

"But tell me' Uriel boy, what were you going to tell me' wife if ye' buggered me' handsome mug?" the man questioned as he held the youth in a firm hug.

Uriel grinned a wide and jolly smile as he took the pain of being crushed by the man's bear hug.

"I hardly think Jeana ever thought of you as handsome, even a blind hag would know that you have an ugly mug, Conny," he chuckled as he heard his bones creak a little.

Conny's face flashed in amusement as he let go of Uriel "Lad ye' lucky it's ye' birthday otherwise I'd string ya with the scarecrows in the field," he laughed.

Uriel grinned as he backed up to the wagon and pulled down one of the barrels he popped it open and grabbed a handful of wooden mugs then he dunked them into the barrel and pulled out several mugs of fresh water.

"Well lads," he called out, "You lot can come out and grab a drink since you're all already here," Uriel shouted as he noticed several two hiding in the nearby fields.

He offered the first of the mugs to Conny and a moment later two other farm hands came out to join them, graciously taking the mugs and downing the contents with gusto.

Working the field was hard toil and everyone appreciated a nice and refreshing mug of cool water to replenish themselves.

As the farmhands got to drinking Uriel took his mug and brought it to the mare,

"Drink up Zeresha," he said holding the mug to her maw.

"Nghh," the mare gave his face a little nudge with her muzzle before drinking the water.

When she finished drinking her fill Uriel returned to the back of the wagon where he found the farm hands happily helping themselves to a second round of drink.

Dave, a slightly chubby man, wiped the beads of sweat from his brow and looked at Uriel, "Now lad who was it that ya' called lads?" he questioned.

Uriel grinned with a proud smile as the other farmhand Benny also joined in walking to him with a pretense of intimidation.

The men of Old Meadow were all large by nature, a folk teller who came through the village once told a tale of how they descended from the storm giants, a ridiculous tale of course but one that spread to the neighboring villages.

But the people of Old Meadow knew better, they had lived on this land for many a generation and if the men had the blood of storm giants then why was it that the women were so small in comparison.

Even knowing that the men were jesting Uriel couldn't help but feel a chill run down his neck, he was small when compared to the people of Old Meadow, and no amount of time living here could make up for it.

Benny blocked his path as Dave slipped an arm around him and pulled him against his chest, before ruffling his head with his knuckles, "Ya still one year short of being a man lad," said Dave as Uriel winced under the slight pressure coming from his head.

After a few seconds of light bullying, Dave set him down.

"Well at least ya know how to throw a punch now," said Conny as he massaged his hand that he used to catch Uriel's fist.

"Ha, next year I'm going to send you flying," Uriel laughed as he grabbed the barrel and slapped it shut, then he placed it back onto the wagon.

"Then I guess lil Cassandra will be in safe hands," Benny chuckled as with just the mention of his bride-to-be Uriel went red in the face.

"Well that is if she doesn't choose anyone at the festival tonight," Conny added with a playful smirk.

Uriel clenched his teeth tight as he fought the embarrassment and worry of the festival, there was no way that she would choose anyone else, he was sure.

He wished that he had been born a year earlier that way he would be of age, but sadly Cassandra had come of age this year and most of the girls in the village who came of age this year were likely to take a husband at the festival tonight, it was that time of the year and the celebration of Cair-Andriel would last until the fire went out.

Uriel jumped back onto the wagon and pulled the reigns, Zeresha wasted no time in digging her hooves into the ground and pulled the wagon forward.

The sudden take-off took the farmhands by surprise.

"Lad be careful!" Conny shouted as the wagon bounced, "We were just teasing ya," he called from behind.

Uriel looked back and grinned at the dutiful farmhands, "Don't forget to tell everyone to grab their barrels before they leave for the festival," he called out then he waved goodbye to them as Zeresha pulled them out of view.

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