Begin Again

Chapter 6

(RYAH)

I rubbed the gown in the bucket of luke warm water. The mud was washing out successfully and turning the water a dark brown. I shoved it against the scrubbing board and wrung it out time and time again. When I was sure that most of the mud had been cleansed from the gown I wrung it out. Then I plunged the gown into a large bucket full of clean water and wrung it out again ensuring that it was completely clean. As I shook the dress out and laid it to dry in the sun I caught my mother watching me with large silent eyes. I saw all of her emotions as I looked into her eyes. She felt bad about what she thought had happened to Eric. She was sad that he wasn't here right now. I also saw worry as she looked at me. She was worried about what I was feeling and what I was going to do. I looked away from her and back to the dress that I had laid out to dry. I heard my father clear his throat and I looked at him. His eyes were just as sad looking as my mother's eyes. I couldn't stand to look at either of my parents as they looked at me with their pity. 

"What happened Ryah?" He asked as he came to stand next to me. I continued to look down at the dress that Eric had purchased for me and that my mother had sewed. I brushed out a wrinkle to make sure that it dried flat. "Ryah?" He asked again when I didn't reply. 

"I think that Eric must have gotten lost father," I said as I grabbed the bucket of filthy muddy water and tipped it on its side. I watched the dark water crash down onto the ground. It ran in little rivulets across the damp ground. My father waited for me to look up at him before he continued.  

"How do you suppose that happened?" 

"He must have gotten separated from the other men and they thought that he must be dead."

"Then how did Torin give you his necklace?" I looked down at the pendant that was hanging around my neck and shrugged. I knew that my father was just trying to be logical but I didn't even know that Eric had taken the necklace with him. Perhaps he had left it home just this once. I reached up to put it back down the front of my dress where nobody could look at it. It settled against my heart where it belonged. I would keep the necklace safe for Eric and I wouldn't be able to do that If I lost it. I didn't know how Torin had gotten the necklace then as I thought about it, an idea struck me. 

"I think Torin must have found it in the woods. Perhaps he went into Eric's room and stole it from him to use to convince me he was killed."

"Why would Torin do that? He is an honorable man and one of the best commanders in the village."

"I'm not sure father!" I said firmly. "I don't know how Torin got the necklace or why he would give it to me but I won't accept that Eric isn't coming home to me."

"Ryah," My mother warned at my tone. I knew that it was wrong to speak harshly to my father. 

"I know that Eric is out there somewhere. He promised me that he would be careful and that he would return to me. I know that he is somewhere and he will be home soon." I could still feel him. I knew that if he had gone I would have felt something. I would feel empty, like a large piece of me was missing. I knew that he had to be out there and that he would be coming home. 

"But what if he doesn't?" My father asked softly. 

"He would wait for me. And he would expect me to wait for him too," I said wrapping my arms around my waist. "He will show up and clear up this mess. He will come back and we will all laugh at this horrible misunderstanding. He's just not here right now." 

I looked up at my parents and both of them were silent. Their eyes were full of pity as they looked at me. I felt like I was going to come apart at the seams if I stood there and let them give me that look full of pity. I wasn't someone who needed to be pitied. I didn't need my parents sadness.