The War Against Aberon (Rough Draft #1)

Chapter Fourteen

    It had been two weeks and four days since the heart-wrenching news of the draft. Anxiety built within Zaffre with each passing moment, knowing in the next few days that royal enforcers would be arriving to take those able to fight. She scarcely felt the urge to leave the house, opting more for aiding her father than the farm. She did not want to take any risk at all. If possible, she wanted to avoid even glimpsing the people from the Capitol who would do whatever it took to take her away.

    Freya was restless with the urge to be near her bond but knew it was safer to remain in the forest and create distance so as to not create a nuisance. If she were spotted it would mean search parties for her death to eliminate a threat, and that meant far more people from the government coming to Westwood. Each spike of distress from Zaffre made it far more of a struggle to remain away, but with any day being a day of royal arrival, it was too risky.

    Zaffre was wiping sick from Cylis' mouth when there was a commotion from outside. Voices loud and frantic quickly approached the front door and not a moment later did Jahzarni and Lenny make their way in. She knew by the looks upon their faces that the conscripters had finally made their appearance in Song. However, Lenny looked especially tearful, though a glint of hope remained in his dark brown eyes.

    "We'll make a bed for you in the barn loft, you can hide out there just fine," Zaffre's mother continued.

    "What's happening?" Zaffre's confusion was evident.

    "Lenny's going to stay up in the loft, he's not prepared to go fight, while the government people are in Song he thought it safer to be with us"

    "Of course," she replied. Turning to the fluffy Rabineer Zaffre got up and hugged him, "You're always welcome here."

    "Thank you," he breathed. Lenny's tears of relief made both women's eyes water. The drops dripped down his face and fell down his leather vest. Looking down at the white-furred face made Zaffre angry. Lenny was too young to be facing such threats, however, she knew that those in the court could care less. If you were over fifteen in human years you were eligible for war. The whole thing was absurd to Zaffre, but there wasn't a thing to do besides hopefully keep Lenny safe.

...

    From their knowledge, Zaffre, Jahzarni, and Lenny all knew that it would take at least two days for the processions in the village to end. That meant at least two days of sitting quietly on the farm waiting for the militant conscripters to leave. Two days of sitting around in anxiety, praying no one ratted them out. Two days of wishful hope that seemed foolish to keep ahold of. As well as two days to prepare for the worst outcome.

    Zaffre tried to prepare mentally. She really did. She worked each day to try and settle her mind and convince herself that war wasn't so bad. That if she did get drafted she would survive and everything would be fine. It was futile. All she kept doing was crying and hoping to any gods above that she not be torn away from all she'd known. That she not be torn away from all she loved. That she not be torn away and run the risk of the world she'd cherished crumbling beneath her feet.

    Lenny seemed no different. They spent many despondent hours in the loft together. Sitting without speaking, with all the things left unsaid being spoken by the tumultuous silence around them. Their dreams seemed so far away as they waited. All their aspirations were childish in the light of such a dismal situation. Waiting, they both decided, was something to be hated. Impatience makes the time almost unbearable. Until it reached the beginning of sundown on day two.

    Any hope that was there that they would not be found out disappeared as fast as it was created. Zaffre had been seated on the couch, keeping an eye on her father while also cleaning the sword. Jahzarni was outside in the fields, tending to the horses, and Lenny remained in the loft reading. Things were peaceful for those moments, then, the unmistakable sound of clopping hooves and wheels on graveled dirt.

    Heart dropped to her stomach, Zaffre ran to look out a front window. Outside, coming down the road, a carriage of pristine nature. With golden accents, a navy body, and all the bells and whistles, the sight couldn't have been anything else but a royal landau. The two white horses pulling were all rippling muscle and clearly bred for long travels. Zaffre could spot the driver who sat pompously out front, a tailored suit around his body and top hat on his head. She could sware she didn't breathe.

    Soon enough the carriage pulled past the house and she couldn't see them anymore. She stepped to a back window just in time to see it come into view on the other side. Jahzarni went to confront the visitors as the carriage stopped and a well-dressed eleven-man exited the passenger space. The elf had long white hair and pale skin and as soon as he stepped onto the ground he gained an expression of disgust. He started speaking, and while Zaffre could not hear a word, she could tell his words were said with an air of superiority.

    Zaffre watched the proceedings as he and her mother spoke. Their conversation seemed tense by the body language, and she could only hope the elf left swiftly. They continued to talk for a number of minutes, both getting more and more frustrated. Zaffre's attention, however, was stolen away by the movement of one of the barn's doors. First, one snowy ear peeked out, then another, and finally the top of Lenny's head down to his eyes peeked from behind the door. Zaffre could only watch and horror as the conscripter noticed the movements as she did.

    He moved forward to walk toward the Rabineer who, now was frozen in place, still only half his face in view. At which point Zaffre ran to the door to sprint outside and out into the confrontation about to begin. 

Word Count-1058