Finding Dad
"Yawn!"
Waking up I rubbed away the sleep from my eyes. Sunlight streamed into the room, through the window lighting up a fresh set of clothing lying on top of a wooden chair. The new set consisted of a cotton shirt, leather trousers, a woollen coat and boots.
Getting dressed, I savour the feeling the new clothing has on my skin. It is a stark difference compared to my old clothing that I have worn until today. Where my old clothes were scratchy and smelled of cheap dye, these clothes smelled fresh and are all pure white, giving off an innocent look.
Gliding downstairs I smell breakfast, fried potato. I sigh here we go again more potatoes.
"Good morning" Mother greets me whilst stirring the pan, "Set the table for two Richard."
"Great", I mumble, "Dad's not home yet."
"Quickly eat your food. We're visiting the elders today. Elder Joran has always been nice to us and I hope he will help us again."
"Yay!" I exclaimed, "Is it finally time for the ceremony? I wonder what I will get?"
"Haha," mother forcedly laughed, "Not yet. You still have three days to go. Now finish your breakfast and wash up straight away. We are leaving soon."
Gulping down the rest of the food in my mouth, I run and wash my hands and face, using the water bucket by the stove. Running out of the house I shout.
"Mom. I'm ready. Come on. We have to get dad back."
"Wait," Mother said "Don't ruin your new clothing. And, wait for me before you go inside."
Racing through the dirt paths I look around at the houses in the village. The village was established several years ago and was just named Seeville last year by the visiting royal officials from the capital.
The village was still a mess with a few hundred wooden houses built quickly with no real sense of order, making navigating through the houses a bit tricky. But no one is complaining. Not when we have a safe shelter from the dangers of the beasts outside, not one beast has set foot into the valley.
It is a mystery so perplexing that it has invited trouble in a different form.
It was funny before they arrived we were free to live simple lives with no rules or laws but nowadays we must obey the laws of the nearest Noble family. And, all that means is that we have become peasants once again, serving to the whims of the Nobles.
There are nine different castes in the world, with nine being the highest, and peasants are ranked second with only slaves being the lowest. The royal officials were surprised to find a whole village of peasants alive without a city stone that they sent a message to the nearest Noble family to investigate, calling us an abomination to the order of the world, and ordering them to fix us.
That is where mother and I are headed to visit the Noble to beg for the release of my father.
BANG!!
"Ouch!"
" Argh!" I scream, crashing into a wooden wall that I can swear has never existed before.
Rubbing my head I examine the wall closely. The wall looks as if it grew from the ground, the roots can be seen coming up out of the earth. Like a huge hollow trunk has suddenly appeared. It seemed like magic.
"Richard. There you are. You can't run off like that anymore you're twelve years old and a big boy."
"Yes, mom I'm sorry" Clearing my throat I say, "Mom look at the wall It's never been here before. I didn't realize it was there and ran straight into it. Mom, I really think magic is real."
Sighing, my mother takes my hand and pulls me into the nearest house. Inside, the town elders are gathered around a young woman discussing things in hushed whispers. She is hidden from view by the elders and I wonder who she is.
And there in the corner, father is sitting holding his staff. Slipping out from my mother's grip I rush excitedly to my father.
"Father! Father!" I exclaim jumping into my father's arms, "We missed you. Next time you should stick to wheat so no one will think you're poisoning them." Father chuckles quietly and asks, "I hope you've been listening to your mother and didn't cause any trouble at home?"
"Of course not dad. Come on mom and dad lets go home we have so much work to do."
"Richard. We can't leave yet. we..."
"But dad," I interrupt dad, " I'm sick and tired of the potatoes already it's all we have at home. We need to plant wheat." Grabbing both my parents hands I try pulling them towards the door.
"HAHAHA"
Startling me a soft and loud laughter trilled inside the house, reverberating around the room.
Freezing on the spot I let go of my parents' hands and slowly turned around in the direction the laughter is coming from. The woman from before is laughing uncontrollably. Taking the chance I observe the woman's features. She has straight long black hair framing her gray eyes and looks to be around seventeen or eighteen years of age.
Still laughing the young woman turns to my father and says, "See Daryn even your son agrees the potatoes was a stupid idea. I still can't believe I found with the help of a few potatoes."
"We had a deal." Father replied, "Leave them alone."
"Yes, I will honour my word, I do not go back against my words, unlike some people." replied the young woman, "However, don't forget my job is to uphold the king's laws. something which you have forgotten about."
Father turned to us and sighed, " I'm sorry Carol. I'm sorry Richard. I knew this day would come and never prepared you for it. I failed you, your mother and these villagers. I'm sorry." Looking into our eyes father said, "Whatever happens next I will never regret the last thirteen years."
"Father, I don't understand. Did you really try to poison us with the potatoes?"
Without replying father embraced us and cried.
"Enough!" the young woman commanded, "Potatoes are not poisonous and they are very healthy. Your father and husband failed in his duty to the royal family and for that, he will be punished severely."
"However, as he discovered a treasure Daryn will only be punished for the delay in reporting it to the king." the young woman carried on, " And, I Abigail Beesely have been charged with educating and inducting this village into the royal empire."
"Now leave. Later today I will make a public announcement."