The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

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I left the party confused and weary. What was Liam hiding? I racked my brain for ideas. Could he be quitting the military? That was certainly something he'd want to hide from Girec. But it wasn't secretive enough. A letter to a sweetheart? That sounded much more interesting. But it still wasn't secretive enough. Oh! Perhaps he was eloping. A letter to a fiancée sounded much better.

Then, it hit me. Perhaps, Liam was eloping with one of my sisters! That would be something he'd definitely hide from Girec. I eyes my sisters in the carriage. One of the twins looked particularly suspicious. I'd keep my eye on her. But how much older was Liam than her. Girec was nineteen. And I believed Liam was a year or so younger. Hmm . . . a couple of sixteen and eighteen was nice. I smiled to myself, but kept looking at my sister.

I remembered Ava's task in finding a husband tonight. She probably needed support. "Ava," I said, "did you meet anyone special tonight?"

Ava gave me a sweet smile. She was always so mild-tempered. "Perhaps. There was this one man, but I'm not sure if he feels the same way about me."

"I'm sure he does," I replied. "You are the perfect lady. Any man would want to marry you." I realized I was clenching my jaw. But I wasn't so awful as to hate my sisters. I just didn't like being grouped with them.

"I hope so."

The rest of the carriage ride was quiet, for once. It was getting late, and we were all tired. I glanced at my sister. Or maybe some of us were already dreaming.

We arrived back at the finishing school with the other girls. One girl was smiling, showing off a final red rose to anyone that cared. In our culture, it was custom for a suitor to present his future wife with a dozen roses, one or two at a time. The girl would press her final rose, and the next time the two met, the suitor would usually give her the engagement ring. I wondered if, when eloping, a man did the same thing.

I hoped I was allergic to roses.

I fell asleep quickly that night, without any dreams. In the morning, it was time for my dreaded finishing school classes. I got dressed in a nice, simple, blue dress, which was much better than my gaudy festival gown, which I hoped to burn in the near future. I took the stairs two at a time to breakfast, where bread and honey was served.

I daydreamed through the morning classes and sketched during supper. I used watercolor during Painting Class to depict the night sky from yesterday's festival. If I had painted the Forbidden Lands, my teacher would have swooned, and I'd have been sent to the Headmistress. All in all, it was a rather uneventful day. Once the classes were over, I brought my dinner outside and laid down in the grass, looking up at the sky, drawing, thinking, and popping grapes into my mouth.

My brother visited the next day before leaving off to the military. He'd brought a friend.

"Hello, Squirrel," Girec said. "I wanted you to meet my friend Jon Travers here."

I looked to his friend. Jon was a shorter young man, about nineteen, like my brother. He had sandy blond hair and bright eyes. "How do you do, Mister Travers?" I said politely. He seemed like a good-natured person.

Jon smiled widely, displaying a nice dimple. "I do very well, Miss Fendway." He shook my hand instead of bowing. So he was from lower society. "It's a pleasure to meet a fine young lady as yourself." I nearly laughed at that, "fine young lady," but a serious look from Girec stopped me.

"Thank you, sir."

"So, Girec here tells me you've a fascination with those Forbidden Lands out there." He gestured to the west.