Redeemed

Ch. 4

Sweat dripped into my eyes as I repeatedly threw my hoe down into the hard earth. The relentless sun beat down, drying out the already cracked ground. Two weeks had passed since the traders had come, and like a bad omen, not a drop of rain had fallen. With no clouds in sight, this small drought could prove a problem. Regardless, the planting needed to get done, so I kept beating into the earth. We didn't grow much - some potatoes, carrots, lettuce, peas, corn - but it was enough to feed me and my mom as well as sell at the market. If this lack of rain kept up, though, we'd be lucky to have enough for ourselves.

Mom opened the chicken pen, letting the chickens run around to peck for any morsel of food.

"I'm going to gather the eggs and check on the cows. How is the planting going?" she asked.

"Remarkable," I replied, bringing the hoe down hard enough to scatter the plates of earth to all sides. Noting my mood, Mom put a hand on her hip and cocked her head.

"You know we could have asked the Johnsons to borrow their ox."

"And be in debt to them for the rest of the year? No, thanks. They might be rich, but that doesn't mean they're generous." The Johnsons had a high ranking father in the military, and they weren't afraid to make sure everyone knew. They were so obnoxious.

"It's not a weakness to ask for help," Mom said. When I didn't reply, she let out a huff and disappeared into the chicken pen to gather eggs.

We continued working this way for the rest of the afternoon, taking occasional water breaks. Mom joined me in the planting process for a while before heading into the house to prepare dinner. Pausing for a drink of water, I noticed a cloud of dust in the distance. Strange. Few people, aside from Shay's family and the Johnsons who lived down the way, used the road by our house, partly because it was out of the way and mostly because it wasn't paved. Based on the dust cloud, it appeared that a large group of people were approaching. My fingers twitched, and I wondered if I should run for my sword, but the cloud was moving quickly. They must all be riding horses, so most likely they were soldiers or someone important. I shifted the weight of the hoe in my hand, figuring it would work as a decent weapon should the need arise.

As they came closer, I picked out white horses clad in golden halters and saddles with lightly armored men. A carriage, also white with gold trimming, rolled in the middle of the group. Someone wealthy and important, then. What were they doing way out here?

The lead riders rode swiftly by, each carrying a white banner with a gold dove emblazoned on it. The Prince's standard. These must be either high-ranking officers in the Prince's army or one of the governors from the Prince's territories. Perhaps they were traveling to our governor's castle, which sat on an island half a day's ride from here. On a good, clear day, one could see the castle glittering in the sunlight from a hill near our house. But why would they choose to come this way?

As I contemplated these life-changing questions, the carriage passed by. A curtain moved, a face peering out. Time seemed to slow down as a pair of hazel eyes with flecks of gold met mine, sparkling in the sunlight. I suddenly became aware of my heartbeat thudding through my body like a giant drum, my unkempt brown hair stuck to my sweaty face with my mouth half-open, and the dust coating everything.

I blinked, and the moment disappeared with the last of the entourage. I was still frozen in the same position when my mom came running out, sweat on her brow from the stove, her hair falling out of her bun, and her arms waving in the air.

"Oh, my goodness, oh my goodness, did you see who that was? I wonder what they were doing way out here? How lucky we are!" she babbled. "Do you think they'll come by again?"